Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Final Fantasy VIII characters. They all belong to Squaresoft.

A/N: I know that the whole story of Laguna and Squall has been written about heaps of times, but I just had to have my own shot at it. So, I hope you like it and I hope you'll be patient enough to see what happens next. R & R. (please)

Chapter 1:

Reflections

The President of Esthar sighed as he took another glance out his window. It had been almost a month since the sorceress incident. And a week since he last saw the Seed responsible for her defeat. Time had seemed to crawl so slowly from then on. It was like an endless torture that wouldn't leave him be. But he accepted it anyway. It was only fair right? After what he had done to that poor boy.

He smiled to himself. Maybe 'boy' wasn't the right word. 'Young man' suited him better. Although, he could never quite understand how quickly he had grown. And he wasn't talking physically. Squall was very mature for his age. Responsible, obedient, he was a perfect example of what a Seed should be. However, he was a very difficult person to understand, and a very hard person to talk to as Laguna found out a week ago.

When Ellone had told him the truth about Squall, he had never imagined that he would look so much like his mother. Not that Laguna was complaining. He was grateful that Squall had taken after his mother and not him. He had her eyes. Eyes that had had been burning with fury not long ago.

"It can't be true. . . it can't be!"

"Squall. . . . please. . . . listen to me. . . I want to talk to you. . ."

"There's nothing to talk about! I want nothing to do with you!"

Laguna cringed slightly. He couldn't erase that day from his mind. Squall had been so angry, he hadn't listened to a single word he said. He had stormed out of the room vowing never to forgive Laguna for not returning to Winhill and claiming clearly that he didn't want to see him again. Laguna had never felt so rejected in his life.

Another faint sigh escaped the President's lips as he moved away from the window. Maybe it was for the best. Squall had done well on his own so far, why would he need a silly ex-galbadian soldier to bother him now. And if Squall was happier this way. . . .

Laguna sat down at his desk and picked up a pen, preparing himself for another day's paper work.

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"Squall! You're back!"

Squall smiled slightly as he was greeted with a small kiss and a hug from what was now his girlfriend. He had been away on a mission for a couple of days with a few of the others, and had just returned on what seemed like a never-ending train ride. He was grateful to be back at the garden.

"Did everything go well?" Rinoa asked as she walked with him around the passages of the first floor.

"Yeah. . . it did. . . .it wasn't too bad."

In Squall's mind, the mission had been quite a simple one, but none the less, he was still tired and he found it harder and harder to keep up with Rinoa's pace. It was only when they stopped in front of the Dorms that his mind focused on her again. She smiled at him understandingly.

"You should rest a bit, and then you can tell me how everything went."

He hugged her lightly and thanked her before slowly making his way towards his room. Upon entering he allowed himself to collapse on the bed, but sleep refused to overpower him. Instead, his mind began to think. And Squall didn't like thinking.

The past week had been an eventful one, and one that Squall would've preferred not to have. It was because of this eventful week that Squall had decided to go on such a simple mission in order to forget everything. Truths had been revealed, suspicions confirmed. To think that people had hidden so much from him after the sorceress was defeated. Especially Laguna. . . .

Squall shifted angrily in his bed. It was Laguna that he felt the most resentful to. It had taken him three weeks. Three weeks to tell him the truth about his mother, Ellone and himself. Three weeks. That day when Kiros and Ward commented about his mother and father, he had begun to suspect. . . but it had taken Laguna so long to finally admit the truth after Ultimecia was defeated.

Not that it mattered much though. It didn't change anything. Squall would still be a Seed in Balamb Garden and Laguna would still be the President of Esthar. Nothing would change. It was his choice to leave in the first place. Squall thought to himself. If he really wanted to have a son, he would've gone back to Winhill. . . . it's too late now.

Yes, Squall decided, it was much too late now. He had his own life, his own friends. He didn't need anyone else. Laguna should've thought of the consequences before he became the President. He should've at least gone back to check on Raine and Ellone before anything else.

I've made it this far without him. . . I can make it the rest of the way just as easily.

And with that final thought in his mind he closed his eyes and fell into a deep and heavy sleep.

To be continued. . . . .